Over the course of the summer transfer period, Liverpool have been sporadically linked with a move for Nicolo Barella. Now they’re being linked with another Inter Milan midfielder.
The Reds have suffered a serious blow in pre-season with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sustaining a severe injury to his hamstring which will keep him out for 2 to 3 months.
Jürgen Klopp does have a plethora of players capable of fulfilling the right central midfield role the Brit operates in but is still said to be monitoring the market for a replacement.
After all, the Ox is out of contract next summer and Liverpool have shown no desire to renew his current deal.
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Thus, according to Calcio Mercato, the Reds are interested in signing Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu.
Calhanoglu enjoyed a fruitful season Serie A season after his move across Milan from AC to Inter last summer.
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He recorded 12 league assists, the second most in the division for an individual player and bagged himself 7 goals along the way too.
It is this return which will attract Jürgen Klopp to Calhanoglu.
Liverpool’s midfield has lacked goals and assists for many a year now and the Turk would help to change that.
But there are understandable question marks over how well suited Hakan Calhanoglu would be to operating in a midfield role at Liverpool.
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While his offensive output is fantastic, there’s plenty of room for improvement from the defensive perspective.
He completed just 14.7 pressures/90 last term, Naby Keita on the other hand recorded 24.58/90.
Whilst it’s true that Liverpool’s engine room needs more goals and assists, that shouldn’t come at the detriment of the Red's rigid defensive structure.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that Calhanoglu is now 28.
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Historically, Jürgen Klopp has shown a willingness to buy older players if the price is right, as was the case with Thiago Alcantara 2 years ago, but generally he prefers buying younger.
Robert Worthington